Another coral ID

[yardboy]

Anyone have a clue as to what htis might be? Survuves well in low light but with some indirect grows faster. Started as a very small frag 6 months ago. Has raised septa under very fleshy tissue. "Ain't Skeered", when you pick it up to move it the flesh doesn't retract. Has sweepers as you can see.

 

[duec22]

could be start of one of the chalice type of corals, but is probably still far to early to tell for sure what it will be.

 

[keckles]

Looks like it could be the start of a Pectinia sp..

 

[yardboy]

Thanks guys. I think that's probably the best info so far. "Wait and see as it's too little to tell"l!

 

[keckles]

It is difficult to say for sure at such a small size with such limited development. But, just for future reference as it continues to grow, here is Pectinia paeonia to use as an example of Pectinia sp..

 

[yardboy]

Man, that is quite a picture. I'm not so sure about Pectinia though. I have a Pec that isn't in such good shape as that. I almost lost it due to algae incursion. I finally got it stopped and now it's been growing about a year, but funny, while it looked somewhat like your photo initially, after it started to regenerate, it looks a lot more like my Mycedium, which it is growing next to. Before the green was streaky, not it occurs in "eyes". Do you think the Pectinia is as "fleshy" as the coral in the original pic?

 

[keckles]

I think it can be very fleshy, but tissue extension is never a good factor for use in identification. There is very little development in your coral, so it is difficult to put any kind of label on it. I initially guessed Pectinia sp. because of the large growth on the left side of the coral. I do not see this becoming a colony of Mycedium.

 

[yardboy]

Oh, I agree. I doubt very seriously it's a Mycedium.
Pectinia may be a good guess until it shows more structure. Do you think Pectinia can have such sweepers?

 

[keckles]

Certainly.

One thing that may be confusing about the picture I posted is the age of the coral. The coral that I posted is much older and more developed than yours. The "branch" shape in the one I posted is the result of the coral's development with maturity. As you coral continues to grow both up and out, it will most likely lose the "plate" shape and form many more of the branches. The shape that it has now is simply the base for what it will become.

I look forward to watching this guy grow out, please keep us updated. :thumbsup: